Cigarette extinguishing and storage device

ABSTRACT

This invention resides in an air and watertight portable container for carrying and extinguishing a cigarette. The container comprises an elongated cylindrical tube having a closed end and an open end disposed opposite the closed end for receiving an ignited cigarette; said open end has female threads for removably receiving a mating set of male threads connected to a cap, wherein the cap contains an O-ring located on a seat between the upper portion of the male threads and the bottom portion of a lip located on said cap.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to an air and water tight, portable container for cigarettes and in the alternative for pills. The container is hermetically sealed and suitable for extinguishing and storing cigarettes. The container in an alternate mode is suitable for holding pills, especially moisture sensitive pills.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[0002] Various containers and devices have been produced for carrying and extinguishing cigarettes.

[0003] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,302 B1 to Bingham relates to a device for snuffing out smoking tobacco products having various diameters. The device consists of a housing having a first open end, a second closed end, and a cavity formed between the two ends. A slider within the cavity has an opening defined by an inner surface for accepting a burning end of a smoking tobacco product. An adjustable retainer is disposed within the opening of the open end, wherein the retainer and the slider work in concert to snugly accept the burning end of the tobacco product.

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,094 B1 to Potter describes a tobacco product snuffer consisting of three elements; namely a tubular member, a sleeve, which fits within the tubular member, and a cap which secures the sleeve in place. The sleeve has an inside diameter to slidably receive a lighted cigarette or similar product. The cap contains a bore through which a cigarette can be inserted into the sleeve and from which an end of the cigarette projects for ease of removal and re-use. Multiple sleeves are provided to accommodate cigarette or tobacco products having different sizes.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,809 to Nicotra teaches a portable cigarette holder for rapidly extinguishing a lighted cigar and for saving the extinguished cigar for later use. The cigar holder consists of a hollow cylindrical tube having a closed end portion and an open end opposed to said closed end portion. A removable cap is sized to close the open end of the tube. The cigar holder contains a snuffer in the shape of a bowl which has a spring mechanism attached to the bottom thereof. The snuffer is readily slidable within the cigar holder. The snuffer is moved downward in the tube when a cigar is inserted in the holder.

[0006] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,752,528 and 5,501,332 to Ayres et al. relate to a cigarette extinguishing and storage device. The device is of a tubular shape and provided by telescoping elements which define an enclosure in which a lit cigarette is extinguished and store for re-use. Charcoal or a similar deodorant is provided at the internal surface of the enclosure to absorb condensates from tobacco smoke. The device is constructed from one or more plies of paper, rendering it disposable.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,127 to Tyler discloses a sealed container for pills on a money clip. The container has a main body having a first finger and a second finger with a generally U-shaped spring forming joint therebetween. The first finger has an upper surface upon which a container base portion is mounted. The container base portion has a threaded portion along the peripheral sides thereof, and a sealing surface at the upper reaches thereof. A cap is provided with threads. A sealing portion is used to form a seal between the container base portion at the sealing surface and the cap.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,634 to Herrmann teaches a device for extinguishing lighted tobacco products, such as cigarettes and cigars. The device includes an elongated, tubular cap, end wall and an upper end, as well as elongated tubular holder constructed and arranged to be telescopes within the cap and having an open, upper end and a lower, closed end. The closed end terminates in a holder end wall opposite the closed, upper end of the cap. The lower end of the cap abuts a collar on the holder to thereby form a frictional closure between the cap and the holder, whereby a lighted tobacco product placed in the holder is extinguished by the frictional closure between the cap and the holder.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,953 to Taylor describes a cigarette snuffer for extinguishing a lit cigarette. The device is made of a cylindrical thin-wall tube having an open end section and a closed end section, with two diametrically opposed slots in the tube wall, which extend between the closed end section and open end section for enabling a user to grasp and remove an extinguished cigarette disposed in the tube.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,604 to Beloff relates to a device for rapidly extinguishing a lighted cigar and for saving the cigar for later consumption. The device comprises a hollow cylindrical tube having a closed end portion and an open end opposed to said closed end portion. A removable cap sized to fit within the open end of the tube for forming a substantially airtight container so as to promote rapid extinguishment of the lighted cigar is utilized herein. The cap has a bore configuration to receive and reshape an unlit, welted tip of the extinguished cigar and a pin having a pointed end for punching a hole in the unlit cigar. The device includes an adjustable snuffer for accommodating cigars of different lengths for re-use. Charcoal or a similar deodorant is provided at the internal surface of the enclosure to absorb condensates from tobacco smoke. The device is constructed from one or more plies of paper, rendering it disposable.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,575 to Andreason et al. teaches a cigarette extinguishing device which can readily be inserted into a pack of cigarettes or the pocket of the user. It consists of a hollow cylinder with open ends, sized to store therein a lighted cigarette. A removable end cap covers one end to seal the device. A slidable keeper is mounted at the open end to releasably hold a cigarette inserted therein.

[0012] Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,757 B1 to McCutcheon relates to a cigarette pack and ash holder/extinguisher which keeps cigarettes and their ashes in a container. The cigarette pack and ash holder/extinguisher includes a container having a plurality of compartments. A first compartment is adapted to receive a pack of cigarettes, a second compartment is adapted to receive and store cigarette ashes and spent cigarettes; and also includes a tubular member securely disposed in the second compartment and being adapted to extinguish a cigarette.

[0013] The first and second compartments contain a first and second lid members containing latching means. The device also contains a clip member for clipping onto an object.

[0014] As can readily be determined from the above, there is an ongoing research effort to produce new and novel cigarette holders and/or extinguishers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The present invention resides in a cigarette holder/extinguisher that is hermetically sealed. The cigarette holder/extinguisher has an elongated, cylindrical configuration having a closed end and an open end. The open end contains female threads for removably receiving a cap having protruding male threads. The cap contains a seated area near the top portion of the male threads for receiving a sealing member, for example an O-ring.

[0016] The cap can contain connecting members, such as, triangular or round shaped connecting member for connecting the cigarette holder/extinguisher to a necklace or key ring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017]FIG. 1 is a side-view of the cigarette holder/extinguisher.

[0018]FIG. 2 is a side, cut-away view of the cigarette holder/extinguisher of FIG. 1.

[0019]FIG. 3 is a side, cut-away, exploded view of FIG. 2, wherein the O-ring is not attached to the cap.

[0020]FIG. 4 is a side, cut-away, exploded view of FIG. 2, wherein the O-ring is attached to the cap.

[0021]FIG. 5 is a side view of the cigarette holder/extinguisher containing a triangular shaped connector attached to a circular shaped connector.

[0022]FIG. 6 is a side view of cigarette holder/extinguisher shown in FIG. 5 wherein the circular shaped connector is attached to a necklace.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The present invention relates to an air and watertight portable container for holding and extinguishing cigarettes and in the alternative for holding pills, especially pills that are sensitive to water.

[0024] Embodiments of the of the cigarette holder/extinguisher are hereinafter described with reference to the drawings in which identical or corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters or numbers through the several views.

[0025] Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a cigarette holder/extinguisher 2 herein referred to as the device is an elongated cylindrical tube 3 having closed end 4 and open end 6 which is disposed opposite to closed end 4. A cap 8 containing male protruding threads 18 removably connects with female threads 12. O-ring 20 hermetically seals the device 2 when the cap 8 is threadably attached to elongated cylindrical tube 3. Cigarette 14 is contained in cylindrical tube 3 having extinguished ashes 16. It should be noted that the inside diameter of cylindrical tube 3 is slightly larger than the outside diameter of cigarette 14.

[0026] Knurls 7A, 7B and 7C are located around the outside of Cap 8 and around the outside of the top and bottom portions of cylindrical tube 3. The knurls are for gripping functions which allow for easy opening and closing of cap 8 on said tube 3.

[0027] It should also be noted that cigarette holder/extinguisher may constructed form plastic or a soft metal, such as aluminum, copper, bronze, brass or stainless steel. If the device 2 is constructed from plastic, the cylindrical tube and cap may be injection molded with no finishing operations being required.

[0028] If the tube is constructed from plastic, a polystyrene plastic is preferred because it offers a substantial amount of heat resistance as well as excellent heat insulating properties and high impact resistance. Regardless of the type material used to construct the device 2 the effectiveness of said device 2 is such that the cigarette is immediately extinguished thus preventing heat from passing through the device 2 to the user.

[0029]FIGS. 3 and 4 are cut-away and exploded views of FIGS. 1 and 2 with the following differences: The elongated cylindrical tube 3 of device 2 contains cylindrical cavity 40 for receiving a cigarette. Cylindrical tube 3 has a bottom closed end 4 and open end 6 which is disposed opposite closed end 4. Female threads 12 are located near the top portion of open end 6. Cap 8 contains protruding male threads 18 which threadably mate with female threads 12 or tube 3. Cap 8 also contains seat 22 which is positioned between the top portion of male threads 18 and the bottom portion of Cap 8 having lip 34. O-ring 20 is positioned around seat 22 which has an outside diameter that is slightly larger than the inside diameter of O-ring 20, thus permitting for an air and water hermetical seal of said device 2.

[0030]FIGS. 5 and 6 show views that are substantially the same as FIGS. 3 and 4 with the following differences:

[0031] Cap 8 contains protrusion 24 containing circular hole 26 on the top portion thereof. Protrusion 24 may have a rectangular, square or circular configuration. A first connector 28 connects with protrusion 24 via circular hole 26. Second connector 30 connects with first connector 28 by passing through opening 36 of first connector 28. Necklace 32 connects with second connector 30 via opening 38 of said connector. Necklace 32 allows the user to conveniently carry the cigarette holder/extinguisher around said user's neck.

[0032] In an alternative mode, the device 2 herein can be used to contain a variety of different shaped pills in an air and water tight hermetically sealed environment.

[0033] Obviously, many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore, only such limitation should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims. 

I claim
 1. A device for holding and rapidly extinguishing a cigarette which comprises: an elongated cylindrical tube having a closed end and an open end disposed opposite the closed end for receiving an ignited cigarette; wherein the open end contains female threads for removably receiving male threads contained on a cap, wherein said cap contains protruding male threads on a seat between the top of the male threads and the bottom of the cap, and O-ring fitting around the seat of the cap for hermetically sealing said device.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongated cylindrical tube contains an inside diameter that is slightly larger than the outside diameter of a cigarette.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the outside diameter of the seat located on the cap is slightly larger than the inside diameter of the O-ring.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the cap contains a lip which is slightly larger than the seat and protruding from the bottom of said cap.
 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the lip of the cap is substantially equal to the outside diameter of the elongated, cylindrical tube.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the cap of said device contains a protrusion on the top portion thereof.
 7. The device of claim 6, wherein the protrusion on the top portion thereof contains a circular hole for receiving a first connector.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein a second connector connects with the first connector.
 9. The device of claim 8, wherein the second connector removably connects with a necklace.
 10. A device for holding and hermetically sealing pills therein which comprises: An elongated cylindrical tube having a closed end and an open end disposed opposite the closed end for receiving protruding male threads on the cap, said cap containing a seat between the top of the male threads and the bottom of the cap for receiving the O-ring. 